With only ten games left in the season, last night's thrid period defeat to the Columbus Blue Jackets was a stinger. No need to worry though plenty of time left.

Ouch! That was like taking shot in the boys last night. Leading the whole game and in the last minute giving up the tying goal. Then no more than a minute later, giving up the go ahead goal. In a span of 4 minutes the Panthers went from one up to three down.

I could see it coming though. After Olesz got that nice tip in goal the Panthers held back and tried to protect the lead! With 44 minutes and 29 second left in the game, the Panthers (perhaps unintentionally), started to protect their lead. How dumb. They had eight shots in the second period and only six shots in the third. Meanwhile the Blue Jackets were all over the Panthers combining for 37 shots total.

On Raffi Torres’ first goal it is hard to fault any one player. It was a good saucer pass from the corner to the open Torres in front of the net. The second goal however was a shot that Vokoun should have made. It is tough saying that because he put in such a good showing all night, but in the end those are the saves you have got to make if you want to make the playoffs.

Deboer was pretty calm at the end of the game, probably still shocked by the last 4 minutes of the game. His commented that “a loss is a loss” and that “there’s a lot of hockey left”. How astute Peter! A loss is a loss! He is right in that there is a lot of hockey left and a huge match up against the Hurricanes on Monday. That is one game where “a loss ISN’T a loss”, it is most likely a ticket to board a train to ninth place.